A Ho Chi Minh City children's hospital said Friday it was treating a 6-year-old and two 9-year-old girls from the southern province of Tien Giang Province who were all in critical condition after eating toxic toad parts.

Doctors at Children's Hospital No.1 said the girls were admitted on Wednesday night with low heart beats and they were exhausted and vomiting.

They had all eaten toad's skin, liver and eggs, which contain bufotoxin, a moderately potent poison that can cause severe, even fatal reactions when ingested.

Police found that the 6-year-old girl, only identified by her initials L.T.K.N., had caught the toad, and prepared it herself before sharing it with L.T.T.Q. and P.T.C.T.

They became tired one hour after eating the toad and were given first aid in the province before being transferred to the city hospital.